SESSION WATCH
Became law SENATE · SESSION 2026 · CHAPTER 2026-46

No. CS/SB 52

Security Services at Places of Worship
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SPONSOR
Criminal Justice; Gaetz
FILED BY
Don Gaetz — District 1, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026

Filed under Occupational.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Security Services at Places of Worship; Providing an exemption from licensure requirements for certain volunteers who provide armed security services for places of worship, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Exempts unpaid volunteers providing armed security at places of worship from licensing.

A person who volunteers, without pay, to provide armed security at a church, mosque, synagogue, or other place of worship is now added to the list of people Florida's private-security licensing chapter does not cover.

This is a full exemption from the chapter, not from just one rule within it; the volunteer needs no license under this chapter to provide armed security at the place of worship.

The exemption's only stated conditions are that the work be unpaid and at a place of worship; the new subsection itself sets no training, vetting, age, or experience standard for the volunteer.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Volunteer armed security at houses of worship exempted from licensing majors. 493.6102

AIA person is added to the list of people this chapter's private-security licensing requirements do not cover, if they provide armed security services at a place of worship on a voluntary, unpaid basis.

“on a voluntary basis and without compensation, provides armed security services on the premises of a church, mosque, synagogue, or other place of worship” bill text, line 17 →
§ 2 Exemption covers the entire private-security licensing chapter moderates. 493.6102

AIThe new exemption is added under the statute's own 'Inapplicability of this chapter' heading, meaning it removes this category of volunteer entirely from chapter 493's requirements, not just from one specific rule within it.

“This chapter shall not apply to” bill text, line 15 →
TIMELINE
4/24/2026
Chapter No. 2026-46
4/23/2026
Approved by Governor
4/21/2026
Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
3/17/2026
Ordered enrolled
3/11/2026
CS passed; YEAS 111, NAYS 1
3/11/2026
Read 3rd time
3/11/2026
Added to Third Reading Calendar
3/11/2026
Read 2nd time
3/10/2026
1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
3/10/2026
Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/11/2026)
3/10/2026
Bill referred to House Calendar
2/11/2026
In Messages
2/11/2026
Immediately certified -SJ 299
2/11/2026
CS passed; YEAS 39 NAYS 0 -SJ 292
2/11/2026
Read 3rd time -SJ 292
2/11/2026
Read 2nd time -SJ 292
2/9/2026
Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/11/26
2/3/2026
Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
2/3/2026
Favorable by- Rules; YEAS 23 NAYS 0
1/29/2026
On Committee agenda-- Rules, 02/03/26, 9:00 am, 412 Knott Building
1/20/2026
Now in Rules
1/20/2026
Favorable by Judiciary; YEAS 9 NAYS 0
1/15/2026
On Committee agenda-- Judiciary, 01/20/26, 9:30 am, 110 Senate Building
1/14/2026
Now in Judiciary
1/13/2026
CS by Criminal Justice read 1st time
1/13/2026
Introduced
1/13/2026
Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
1/12/2026
CS by Criminal Justice; YEAS 8 NAYS 0
1/5/2026
On Committee agenda-- Criminal Justice, 01/12/26, 1:30 pm, 37...
10/6/2025
Referred to Criminal Justice; Judiciary; Rules
9/16/2025
Filed
25 EARLIER →
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 493.6102
+28 / −0
s. 493.6102
+0 / −0
s. 493.6201
+0 / −0
STAFF ANALYSES
2 MORE →